Doug Burgum

Yes, you should.

Well, the fun thing when we meet with all of these people in the nuclear industry, if you were doing this five years ago, you'd have been talking to regulated utilities. Today, you can talk to a venture-funded startup. And there's at least 10 that are out there today that are chasing new designs. There's people that are chasing not just fission, but fusion. And so all of that is exciting.

Well, the fun thing when we meet with all of these people in the nuclear industry, if you were doing this five years ago, you'd have been talking to regulated utilities. Today, you can talk to a venture-funded startup. And there's at least 10 that are out there today that are chasing new designs. There's people that are chasing not just fission, but fusion. And so all of that is exciting.

And if you think of us having an air base in Alaska, I mean, think of being able to daisy chain some SMRs there and not having to build transmission. I mean, the applications for the military purposes and for other. And then if you have distributed, it's harder for the enemy to knock out your power source because it's not all sitting in one spot.

And if you think of us having an air base in Alaska, I mean, think of being able to daisy chain some SMRs there and not having to build transmission. I mean, the applications for the military purposes and for other. And then if you have distributed, it's harder for the enemy to knock out your power source because it's not all sitting in one spot.

Well, I don't know if we've lost it or it's just the innumeracy of being selective about what industry or what form of transportation. Because on the automobile side, again, we'll track this year between 38,000 and 40,000 deaths on highways in America. Half of those are because of impaired driving, either from people texting or impaired drug or alcohol use.

Well, I don't know if we've lost it or it's just the innumeracy of being selective about what industry or what form of transportation. Because on the automobile side, again, we'll track this year between 38,000 and 40,000 deaths on highways in America. Half of those are because of impaired driving, either from people texting or impaired drug or alcohol use.

And apparently everybody's okay with that because we lose 100 people a day and there's never a story about it. I mean, more than 100 people a day. But, you know, if you lose 70, you lose 70 people in the first airline crash in 12 years in America. And we're still talking about it three months later because somehow that is news and people dying on highways is not.

And apparently everybody's okay with that because we lose 100 people a day and there's never a story about it. I mean, more than 100 people a day. But, you know, if you lose 70, you lose 70 people in the first airline crash in 12 years in America. And we're still talking about it three months later because somehow that is news and people dying on highways is not.

And in a nuclear, it's the same thing. I actually checked on this because, of course, we've had no deaths from anything related to nuclear power in our country since inception. But the best I can find on the federal safety statistics is there's about 37 people that have died from getting angry at vending machines and then pounding on them. And then they tip over and fall on them, literally.

And in a nuclear, it's the same thing. I actually checked on this because, of course, we've had no deaths from anything related to nuclear power in our country since inception. But the best I can find on the federal safety statistics is there's about 37 people that have died from getting angry at vending machines and then pounding on them. And then they tip over and fall on them, literally.

And they crush them. Where do you find that statistic? Yeah, you just go search online. But it's out there. But anyway, it's like if you're... if you're afraid of nuclear, you know, then I take a wide bird. If you see a vending machine, steer clear of it. And they're the same thing.

And they crush them. Where do you find that statistic? Yeah, you just go search online. But it's out there. But anyway, it's like if you're... if you're afraid of nuclear, you know, then I take a wide bird. If you see a vending machine, steer clear of it. And they're the same thing.

I mean, I, when I was, uh, when I was, you know, campaigning for president Trump and I said I was pro nuclear and someone said, well, would you know, Oh really? But would you live near one? Would you raise your family near one? And I said, well, I would. And they said, well, how can you say that? I said, well, I raised them on a farm in North Dakota and our farm was near a road.

I mean, I, when I was, uh, when I was, you know, campaigning for president Trump and I said I was pro nuclear and someone said, well, would you know, Oh really? But would you live near one? Would you raise your family near one? And I said, well, I would. And they said, well, how can you say that? I said, well, I raised them on a farm in North Dakota and our farm was near a road.

And they said, what do you mean a road? I said, well, there's It's more risky than a nuclear power plant. Yeah, it's way more. I said when the kids were out, if they were out going to a dance at high school on Friday night, I was worried about them not on the road, not about anything else.

And they said, what do you mean a road? I said, well, there's It's more risky than a nuclear power plant. Yeah, it's way more. I said when the kids were out, if they were out going to a dance at high school on Friday night, I was worried about them not on the road, not about anything else.

Well, first of all, I love, David, the way you're framing it. And I would just add, you know, the two trillion dollar deficit. means that in the last year of the Biden administration, $2,000 billion more was spent than came in. And coming in, we have other ways to bring money in other than taxes. And how is that possible? Well, it's because of America's balance sheet.

Well, first of all, I love, David, the way you're framing it. And I would just add, you know, the two trillion dollar deficit. means that in the last year of the Biden administration, $2,000 billion more was spent than came in. And coming in, we have other ways to bring money in other than taxes. And how is that possible? Well, it's because of America's balance sheet.

Our balance sheet isn't just the financial assets. It includes the fact that just within Interior alone, there's 500 million acres of surface land. Throw in U.S. Forest Service, add another 200 million acres.